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Introducing… The Stella’s

by: ThomasThursday July 26, 11am

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This Saturday, Joburg band The Stella’s make their Cape Town and Assembly debut on their national Live Charge album launch tour. They perform alongside SA greats Van Coke Kartel and Taxi Violence. We caught up with the band before their big show.

Please introduce the band and your various roles?

We are The Stella’s and we play rock ‘n roll. We’re a 4 piece from Johannesburg, Stu Sleaze on vox and rhythm guitar, Jim Hazard on guitar, Pano Roller on bass and Ben Eagle is on the drums.

Tell us about The Stella’s?

We (Jim, Stu, Pano) all played in various punk bands throughout high school, at end of 2008 we decided to start The Stella’s. After going through 2 drummers, we found Ben at the end of 2009, and he joined the band beginning of 2010. Since then it’s been The Stella’s on high!

Describe your sound/influences?

Raw Power Rock ‘n’ Roll. It’s all drawn from a volatile mixture of influences, musically ranging from blues, reggae, punk, the likes of the MC5, Iggy & the Stooges, the list goes on and on. Also definitely the city we live in and our surroundings.

Do you all share similar tastes musically, what is the creative process like?

Yeah we do. We all appreciate each others taste in music, but aren’t necessarily listening to what the other is at the same time. Definitely putting each other onto cool stuff. The creative process in the band is usually just a jamming of riffs at rehearsal, improvising from there and letting it grow, sticking with what’s best in the end.

What bands/artists dead or alive would you kill to see in concert?

This is an endless list! Haha, but right now The Hives or The Clash. We already made a kill, and now Eagles of Death Metal are coming!

This is the final show on your nation-wide tour and you’re making quite an entrance with Van Coke Kartel and Taxi Violence – how have you been received so far around the rest of the country?

The tour has been real good to us so far, rad times for sure! Full shows in Joburg, Durban and Potch which is definitely the best. Getting the chance to meet so many new people and make connections and to have a party is plus too! We wanted to just introduce the EP to a couple of cities this time around but we will be back on the road for a more extensive tour of the country before the end of the year.

This is your first time performing in Cape Town, can we expect to see more of The Stella’s in the Cape?

Totally! We’ll be back before the end of the year. We have some good friends in Cape Town as well.

Tell us about Live Charge?

Live Charge is an 8 track EP, which we recorded live in one day at Openroon Studio in Greenside, with producer Michael Wright from Zebra & Giraffe. We then did the vocals and a few over dubs at his Glory Vale Studio. It was the coming of a new tide for the band, we decided we wanted to raise the bar but still stay independent and studio time is money so we just did it in one day with little editing and trickery. We captured a high energy sound, true to our live shows and something relevant. We were all just hanging out and skating everyday whilst we were writing the tracks earlier this year, and it all made sense from there to produce what was produced. We like to think it packs a punch.

What was the recording process like?

It was pretty intense, but very effective. If you don’t know Open Room Studio it’s pretty much on the street in Greenside. We had friends coming and going for support, and it just felt like the right place at the right time. By recording all the tracks live in one day, we captured a raw live energy that we’re very happy with. It was also a cool experience to record this way and at such a rad studio!

Where can fans get their hands on a copy?

At gigs, Look & Listen, and we are working on some online distribution at the moment. Just drop us a message on Facebook and we can make a plan!

There has been much excitement around your upcoming show – what can the audience expect at your show this Saturday?

Best! As it’s our first time in Cape Town we are ultra excited! Raw Power, we will leave you wanting more! Good times, let loose, a get-out-your-head rock ‘n roll experience. A surprise or two – Van Coke Kartel and Taxi Violence, ’nuff said really, see you there!

What’s next for The Stella’s?

Oppikoppi! and a follow up tour in November/December this year as well as a new single and video, hopefully some vinyl! And world domination obviously!

Get your tickets now at Webtickets, or enter here for a chance to win a copy of The Stella’s Live Charge album plus Double Tickets!